Somewhere to Call Home
by Ms Kitten
Summary: My version of what should have happened to Betsy. Violet/Pete
1. Where am I gonna sleep tonight?

Disclaimer: I do not own Private Practice or the characters within, they are creations of Shonda Rhimes and I am simply borrowing them for my own entertainment.

AN: So, I can tell by the outraged voices across many forums, that I'm not the only one outraged by this episode. I think it was complete bull that none of the characters took Betsy in. They are successful adults with both the financial and emotional capacity to handle a child like Betsy, but with the exception of Violet, they were all selfish enough to let poor Betsy be lost in the system. Well, obviouly I intend to fix that. This is the first of several installments. Chapter two has been sent to the beta already and I'm currently writing chapter three. Thank you, Mediatorsk, for betaing!

AN2: I live for reviews, so whether you loved it or hated it, I want to know!

* * *

"Where am I gonna sleep tonight?"

Betsy's voice is on the verge of crying. And it breaks Violet's heart that the eight year old is even worrying about something like that. A child's biggest worries should be getting their homework done on time, deciding which friend to invite over for a playdate or deciding what toys they want for Christmas or their birthdays; not where they're gonna sleep or who's gonna take care of them.

Violet knows she can't fix everything bad that has happened to this child, but there is at least one thing she can do. A worry she can put to rest right away.

"How about you come home with me?" She reaches forward and strokes Betsy's cheek. There's a hint of relief in the child's eyes, but only that. Violet can't blame her for being guarded. In the past year poor Betsy has had to cope with both her mother and father dying, and only hours ago her own aunt walked out on her, leaving her alone in the world. Again.

"Where do you live?" the child finally asks.

Violet smiles. "Not very far from here. It's a pretty, yellow house. There's a trellis with lots of pink flowers right outside the front door. Do you like pink?" Betsy nods. "I do, too. There's a little yard out back, not very big, but it's very pretty. I think you'd like it."

There's a faint spark in the child's eyes as she asks, "Can we go right now?"

Violet shakes her head. "Not yet, sweetie. I have to do some work first, but do you want to come with me to the kitchen and have a snack?"

She gets up and reaches out her hand, which Betsy grabs. In the kitchen, Violet reaches for the frosted flakes in the top cupboard. Nutritionally she realizes it's not the best idea for a snack, but factoring in what kind of day Betsy is having, she figures the child could use a treat and pours some into a bowl, adding milk. Pete enters the room just as Violet is putting the box away and heads straight for her.

"Hey." He leans forward and gives her a small peck. "I'm headed back to the hospital, probably won't be home until late."

Just as he's about to leave, Violet reaches for his arm, holding him back. "Could we talk for a minute before you go?"

Pete frowns. "Sure, is there something wrong?"

Violet looks over at Betsy, who's been observing them out the corner of her eyes. "Sweetie, are you okay here for a minute?"

The girl nods and Violet gently leads Pete out of the kitchen and into her office.

"What's Betsy doing here?" Pete asks in a slightly hushed voice.

"Her aunt dropped her off this morning... for good."

"What?" Pete turns around and looks at the girl solemnly eating her snack. "Poor kid. How is she handling it?"

Violet shrugs. "She's quiet, withdrawn, which is to be expected. I think she's probably still in shock, lord knows I am..."

Pete responds by wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. Violet wholeheartedly welcomes the embrace and rests her head against his chest.

"She's worrying about where she's going to sleep. I told her she could stay with us. I hope that's okay with you?"

She doesn't see the slight frown on Pete's face as he mutters, "Um... sure."

* * *

With Amelia spending most of the day at the hospital consulting on Pete and Addison's patient, Violet takes the opportunity to set Betsy up in her daddy's old office with paper and crayons, giving the girl the opportunity to feel close to her dad again and relive the happy memories of the times she spent with him there. When Amelia took over the office, she kept a couple of Betsy's old drawings on the wall. She claims it's because she didn't have any decorations of her own and the drawings liven up the place, but Violet suspect it's Amelia's way of honouring Dell even though she didn't know him very well.

It's hard, at first, for Betsy to understand why they could let someone else have her daddy's office. It takes Violet some time to explain to the girl that even though this will always be her daddy's office, he wouldn't have wanted them to just let it stay vacant, because he was all about helping people. Betsy seems to accept that explanation.

Violet cleared her morning schedule when Aunt Monica came and almost literally dropped Betsy in her lap, but she still has some afternoon patients. Betsy seems to be okay with staying in her daddy's old office, especially knowing Violet is only two doors down. Between patients, Violet stops by to check on Betsy. Betsy hands her a drawing she's been working on. In the picture there's an adult figure holding the hand of a child figure. To the right there's a bright yellow house and pink flowers and to the left there are two floating adult figures with wings. Everyone is smiling, even the sun in the upper right corner.

Violet thanks Betsy for her beautiful drawing and promises to hang it up in her office. She spots a couple of other drawings that Betsy's made. She sees an adult figure with yellow hair that she guesses to represent Betsy's aunt Monica and a child figure she assumes is Betsy. Next to them is a green house, but instead of a sun it's raining and both figures are frowning. Violet makes a note to herself to one day ask Betsy about her life in Portland.

* * *

Betsy is quiet the whole ride over to Violet's house. She stares out the side window of the car, but shows no interest in the things that pass by. Violet contemplates engaging the girl in some form of conversation, but decides Betsy could probably use a break from talking. She needs to make the girl feel safe before she feels free enough to express the things that are really going on inside of her.

She parks in the driveway, but Betsy remains seated until Violet goes around the car and opens the door. She holds Betsy's backpack in her left hand and Betsy's hand in her right and leads the girl to the front door. Betsy's eyes wander to the trellis Violet told her about. Placing Betsy's backpack on the ground, Violet uses her free hand to reach out and pick one of the flowers. She drops to her knees and gently places the flower in Betsy's hair.

"Don't you look pretty," she says with a smile.

The girl momentarily lets go of her hand and reaches for one of the lower flowers on the trellis, placing it in Violet's hair.

"Now, we both look pretty," Violet remarks, earning herself momentary smile from the child.

She unlocks the front door and calls out to the nanny that she's home. She has recovered from her trauma, but she's not willing to risk another patient figuring out her adress, so she's made it a rule that the front door is always to be locked, no matter who is in the house. She takes off her shoes and helps Betsy with hers when the nanny appears in the doorway, holding Lucas.

"Hey Booboo," Violet cooes, as she stretches out her arms to take Lucas from the nanny, kissing the top of his head. "Did you have fun with Maria?"

She drops to her knees, balancing Lucas on her right knee. "Lucas, this is Betsy. She's going to be staying with us for a while. Can you say Betsy?"

"Bah," Lucas replies.

"Betsy," Violet continues, "This is my son, Lucas."

"Hi, Lucas," the girl quietly replies.

"Has he eaten yet?" Violet asks the nanny.

"Not yet," Maria replies. "I didn't expect you home so soon."

"Then I guess we're all having dinner," Violet announces. "You hungry?" she asks Betsy, who nods.

She bids Maria goodbye and locks the door behind her before taking both children into the kitchen. She places Lucas in his high chair and hands him a toy to occupy him while figuring out what to make. Opening the fridge, Violet begins to realise that she probably should have stopped at the grocery store on the way home to buy some of Betsy's favourite foods. "See anything you like in there?"

When the girl says nothing, Violet opens up one of the kitchen cupboards and lifts Betsy up on the counter.

"I like Mac'n Cheese," the girl quietly says.

"Mac'n Cheese, it is," Violet announces, and takes her favorite hangover food out of the cupboard. While preparing it, she also boils carrots, broccoli and cauliflowers on the side, to make the dish a bit more healthy, as well as a couple of potatoes to mash up for Lucas.

When the three of them sit down at the kitchen table to eat, Violet can tell the girl isn't too happy with the added vegetables, but politely finishes everything on the plate before asking if she can have a little bit more Mac'n Cheese. Violet mashes up the potatoes and carrots in a bowl together with a little milk. Seeing Lucas eyeing her and Betsy's dinner with great interest, she feeds him a little bit of her own plate between several spoonfulls of vegetables. Once she sees him losing interest in the food, she gives him a bisquit to chew on while she eats her own dinner.

Once dinner is out of the way, Violet shows Betsy around the house, including the guest bedroom where she'll be sleeping. Violet watches Betsy unpack the scarce content of her back, just a change of clothes and a nightgown as if her aunt had just told her she'd only be away for the night. She makes a mental note to take the girl shopping. She would take her right away, but Lucas' bedtime is only in a couple of hours, and Betsy still needs to get used to the house. She'd ask Pete, but his shift at the ER doesn't end until late. Naomi's out of town, and Violet doesn't really want to ask Sam if he still has some of Maya's old clothes that Betsy could have, as she can tell he doesn't agree with her taking Betsy in, for whatever reason.

Introducing Betsy to one of Lucas' favorite games of putting a lot of things into a bucket and then pouring them out onto the floor, she steps back and keeps just one eye on the kids while dialing the phone. Despite being an only child, Betsy seems to naturally take on a big sister role with Lucas, and Lucas seems to really take to Betsy.

There's an answer at the other end. "_Hello?_"

"Hey, Addison..?"

* * *

The door bell rings while Betsy and Lucas are eating supper. Violet opens the door to find Addison with a couple of bags of clothes. "Thank you so much for doing this," she sighs, "I mean, naturally I'm gonna take her shopping one of these days, find some things she'll like, but I felt she could use a couple hours around the house, get acclimated before spending the night here."

"Not a problem," Addison replies, handing the bags over to Violet. "How is she doing so far?"

Violet steps aside to let Addison into the house. "I've let her know she can come talk to me about anything, but I've decided not to push it right away, let her come to terms in her own way about what happened today. She's spent most of the afternoon playing with Lucas."

"Sounds adorable," Addison comments.

"It was," Violet smiles, "Especially the part where she held Lucas' hands and kept him steady as he walked across the livingroom."

"Aww," Addison cooes, "How come Pete didn't tell me Lucas is walking?"

"Well, he's not doing it on his own, yet. He still has to hold onto someone or something to manage. But he's... he's getting there." Violet's heart swells with motherly pride.

Betsy's head appears in the hallway. "We're finished," she informs Violet. "Can Lucas and I play some more, now?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but it's Lucas' bedtime. Do you want to be with Addison while I go get him ready?"

The girl shrugs and disappears into the livingroom.

* * *

Violet is sitting on the livingroom couch, one leg tucked behind the other, completely engrossed in a book when she hears the front door being unlocked and promtly locked again. She turns her head just in time for Pete to give her a peck hello.

"How did it go, here?" he asks.

"Good," Violet replies. "Betsy went to bed about an hour ago, and both she and Lucas were sleeping soundly when I checked on them half an hour ago. How did things go at the hospital?"

"Well, my pregnant patient is still in agony and I can't give her anything of substance as it could hurt the baby. The MRI is backed up, so we won't get to do one until tomorrow morning at the earliest. If we can't find a solution, fast, likelyhood is she will abort the baby, against her husband's wishes. It's all a big mess."

"I'm sorry." Violet reaches out and strokes Pete's cheek. Pete smiles and kisses the palm of her hand, before pulling his wife down with him on the couch and wrapping his arms around her. "I'm gonna take Betsy with me to the office, tomorrow. I don't think she'll respond too well to being left with a complete stranger so quickly after her aunt walked out on her. And maybe I can have a session with her, see if she'll open up."

"Sounds like a good idea," Pete murmurs, tiredly.

"Sounds like someone else needs to go to bed," Violet teases.

"Mhm."


	2. What if it was Lucas?

AN: I'm still writing on chapter three, and I think this story will probably have a fourth and a fifth before finding its conclusion... we'll have to wait and see what my muse demands from me. Thank you, Mediatorsk, for betaing!

AN2: I live for reviews, so whether you loved it or hated it, I want to know!

* * *

Violet feels surprisingly rested as she wakes up snuggled up to her husband. Peering over Pete's sleeping form she vaguely makes out the alarmclock to read 7am. Normally Lucas' cries would have had her up long before that. Reaching over to get her glasses she mumbles, "Why isn't Lucas crying yet?"

"Because he understands that I worked a long shift in the ER last night," comes Pete's tired answer, "and that there's another kid in the house. He's thoughtful, just like his daddy."

Violet gives his shoulder a brief kiss before stumbling out of bed and making the way into Lucas' room across the hall.

"Morning, Booboo," she cooes, picking up one of Lucas' teddybear that has fallen off its shelf sometime during the night. "Rise and shine."

She puts the bear away and walks over to her son's crib. "Morning."

Upon seeing it empty, she feels her heart jump in her body. "Pete!" she cries out, immediately checking everywhere in the room, including the top shelf of the half-open closet. She runs down the corridor, before momentarily stopping and calling out towards the bedroom, "Pete, Lucas is not in his crib!"

She checks every single room on the floor. The upstairs bathroom, her storage closet, her and Pete's home office, before running down the stairs, where Pete is already waiting for her. He motions for her to be quiet before pointing to the livingroom. Betsy is sitting on the couch with her arm around Lucas, who is eagerly pointing at something on the television.

"Bah!" the boy comments, smiling.

Betsy turns around to see them watching her and explains, "My daddy and I used to watch cartoons together. Thought maybe Lucas would like them."

Feeling the relief and the adorableness of the moment getting to her, Violet grins at Pete, who smiles in return and wraps his arm around her. Her heart is still beating a mile a minute from the panic, but slowly both her breathing and heartbeat returns to normal. Pete kisses the top of her head. "Want me to start on breakfast?"

Violet nods against his chest. "Could you take Lucas, too? I have to talk to Betsy."

Pete releases her from the embrace and drops to his knees next to the couch. "Hey, big man. Time for breakfast." He picks Lucas up and carries him with him to the kitchen. Betsy turns and looks at Violet, it's obvious the child has picked up on something being wrong.

Violet takes a seat next to Betsy on the couch, resting her left arm over the backrest as she turns to the girl. "Listen, I think it's great that you wanted to share something so special with Lucas. I'm sure he appreciated it..." The girl looks at Violet with big eyes and Violet bites her lip, trying to find the appropriate words to explain. "But, see, when Lucas isn't in his crib when I wake up, I get so very scared. Because he's just a little baby, he can't look after himself the way the rest of us can. And I get scared that he might hurt himself, because I don't know who's watching him. Do you understand?"

Betsy nods, slowly.

"I understand that you're a big girl, Betsy. That he'll be safe when he's with you. But the next time you want to look after him, like this, do you think you could come and wake me first? So that I'll know that you are taking care of him? Do you think you can do that?" The girl nods, and Violet gently pulls her into a hug. "Are you hungry?" Betsy nods. "Then let's see what Pete has made for us."

* * *

Sheldon's words still makes her want to clench her fist when Violet makes her first stop of the day by Amelia's office, where Betsy's set up with paper and crayons. Part of her feels angered about the indication that she could be either damaging or inadequate to help Betsy through whatever issues she will have coming up. Another part has taken a dislike to Sheldon's suggestion that the poor child could develop behavioural problems so severe she could end up hurting Lucas. Right now Violet has trouble understanding how she was ever attracted to the man.

Betsy is completely engrossed in her drawing, which looks to be one of her and Lucas walking in Violet's livingroom. How Sheldon can speak so warmly about a system which is more known for the kids it screws up than the ones it helps, it's baffling to her. It's not that Violet expects sunshine and daisies, taking Betsy in. She knows that Betsy is careful and polite at the moment, that it will take a while before she feels safe enough to express all the pent up anger and frustration she has with losing both her parents and her aunt walking out on her before her very own eyes.

Violet hopes that once Betsy feels secure and settled, that she will feel comfortable confiding in her. It will probably take some time, as Violet suspects it was Betsy's first real tantrum that made her aunt Monica decide to bail instead of toughen it out and understand that the child was simply expressing the pain she has inside.

Betsy looks up to see Violet observing her. "Could we play in the yard today?"

"Sure," Violet nods. "Lucas likes the yard."

"Do you have a swing set?" Betsy asks, and Violet realizes she forgot to show Betsy the yard when she did the imprompto tour of the house.

"It's too small for that, sweetie," Violet says apologetically. "But maybe this weekend we could go to the park or something. Does that sound good?"

Betsy nods. "I like the swings."

* * *

Violet heads by Amelia's office after her second patient to see if Betsy would like a snack. When Betsy is nowhere to be found, Violet first thinks the girl has just run to the bathroom, however when she reaches kitchen she spots her standing next to the table, holding big bottle of juice. There's a big spillage around the glass, which given the size of the girl and the sheer weight of the juice container is not so surprising. Betsy turns and looks at Violet. The guilt and fear she reads in the poor girl's eyes is enough to break her heart. To see Betsy so terrified of making a single wrong move... it's enough to make Violet rethink the reason aunt Monica turned on her heel.

She can't bear Betsy thinking that one little thing is enough for someone to walk out of her life. She needs to show the child that accidents are just accidents, that it's okay. She quickly steps around the child and heads for the fridge. She takes out a bottle of soda and proceeds to empty its whole content onto the floor. Betsy jumps back in surprise and looks at the pool of soda with raised brows. When she looks up, Violet is smiling at her, and she visibly lowers her shoulders and smiles back.

It's not enough for Violet, so she reaches into the fridge once more, this time retrieving a much bigger bottle. Betsy's jaw drops and there's a spark of excitement in her face in anticipation that Violet will also pour this bottle's content onto the ground. Violet literally shakes things up by shaking the bottle instead. Betsy quietly giggles as she watches her new caretaker putting all her strength into it. She squeals in delight when Violet unscrews the cork, the soda spray soaking her blouse.

Betsy's joyous laughter is infectious and Violet laughs as she asks, "Do you wanna try?" The girl nods eagerly and Violet retrieves yet another bottle from the fridge. A smaller one this time, given Betsy's limited size and strength. The child vigorously shakes the bottle and Violet eagerly helps. There's another roar of laughter as half the bottle's content is sprayed onto their clothes, and Betsy eagerly empties the other half onto the floor.

Violet makes a finishing statement by sitting down in the pool of soda the two of them have just created and pats the wet patch next to her. Betsy follows her cue and sits down next to her, the whole time peering at Violet with admiration in her eyes. Throwing her arms around the adult, the child exclaims, "Can I stay with you forever?"

A myriad of emotions go through Violet as she looks up to see both Pete and Cooper gazing at them. She spots the uncertainty in Pete's eyes, but prays it's something she can put to rest. It's only the second day and she already feels attached to this girl. She realizes part of it is probably because she can so easily can see parallels between Betsy's aunt abandoning her, and what she herself did to her own child just a year ago. But it has to be more than that. Betsy needs someone who can take care of her, someone who can keep her from ending up another child lost in the system.

* * *

Violet is trying to get some work done, but all her mind can seem to focus on are the things Pete said, or more importantly, what Pete didn't say to her. In a way she can understand where his concern comes from. He saw her run away from her own child, so she can't exactly blame him for worrying. But it hurts that he's holding things back as if he thinks she can't handle it.

The moment she sees Cooper in her doorway, she can just tell. Pete chose to confide in her best friend rather than being upfront with her.

"Gonna adopt Betsy?" he asks and gives her that look she knows so well, the look that tells her she's being irrational.

She turns away and shakes her head.

"Look, I'm trying to separate out my feelings for Betsy from my professional judgement." Cooper plops down next to her on the couch, and she puts her pad down, realizing that attempting to work with her head so full of thoughts is futile. "And I know, I know the reason I'm having such a hard time letting this go is 'cause it's my do-over. Last year I was Aunt Monica."

"Oh, you're not Aunt Monica. You can handle this."

At least her best friend still seems to believe in her.

"Which is why I should, don't you think?" she asks, to which Cooper sighs. "Oh, go on, say it. Lord knows Pete isn't..."

He calmly looks at her. "I think you can do this... but I don't know if Pete can. He just got you back. Just got married. Cut him some slack."

She realizes that Cooper has a point. Taking Betsy in would mean adding a lot of complications to a relationship which is finally getting back on track. But her mind just can't stop thinking about what will become of the girl if they don't keep her. "Well, if we don't take Betsy, where is she gonna go?"

"We will find her somewhere..." Cooper promises.

"We need to find her someone," Violet corrects.

"We will."

Cooper seems so certain, while Violet just can't seem to let go. "I don't know, Cooper, I don't know... What if..." She leans back into Cooper's open arms. "What if I'm supposed to help Betsy, to make up for what I did to Lucas?"

"Your do-over is not with Betsy, it's with Lucas..."

* * *

The words from both Pete and Cooper haunt her that afternoon as she watches Betsy playing with Lucas. Betsy seems to have invented a game of tag that Lucas can play as well, which involves both kids crawling through the grass, getting plenty of grass stains on their clothes in the process. The boy giggles loudly as he attempts to chase the girl. He doesn't quite get the concept on when he's supposed to chase her and when he's supposed to crawl away, but both kids seem to have fun nonetheless.

Violet thinks about the times she saw Betsy with Dell. She always seemed like such a bright and happy kid, despite her mother's unfortunate circumstances. Violet believes that with some serious help and support, Betsy could be that kid again, for real. And although she desperately wants to be the one to do that for Betsy, she doesn't have to be.

What matters the most to her is that someone will be there, someone will save her from the uncertainty and potential harm she would be facing, placed in the foster care system. Violet knows all too well what becomes of children, especially older children, who are placed there. There are, of course, a few happy fates, kids who end up in the right home right away. But a lot more of them will find themselves being bounced between foster and group homes; some unlucky ones will even be abused.

Her gaze drift to her own son. If it had been Lucas, Violet would like to think someone would step up, but what if that is what Dell believed? What if Dell spent every last second with Betsy in his arms, believing she would be okay? That she would be cared for? Dell was like her, a victim, and his daughter was his entire life. His one and only desire was keeping her safe.

* * *

Both Lucas and Betsy are in bed by the time Pete gets home. Violet's spent the better part of the past hour crying over Dell, and the hopeless situation with Betsy. She hears Pete dropping the keys on the table and turns her head to visually acknowledge his presence.

"Cooper already talked to me," she informs him, turning away.

Pete takes a seat on the footstool next to the couch. "I just asked his opinion, I didn't ask him to..."

"No, you didn't," she interrupts. "But you kinda did. He made the point, Pete."

"I wanted to talk to you. I did. But things have been so good between us. I just didn't want to risk..."

"Cooper is not my husband," she points out, turning her head towards him, again. "This tip-toeing around me is not gonna work, you know? We're in this, we're not going anywhere. We need to be able to get mad and fight, and know that we'll get through whatever we need to get through..."

Pete nods. He gets it. The lack of proper communication was partly what did them in last time. Of course, it didn't help that she was dealing with a severe trauma at the time that left her completely unable to care for their son. But had she let him in, let him know all those horrible things that were gnawing at her, then maybe things wouldn't have escalated to the points they did. Maybe she wouldn't have had to miss the entire first year of her child's life.

She can't take that back, the time she missed out on with her child, and she realizes that whatever time and energy she spends on Betsy is not going to make up for it. But it's not absolvation that fuels her desire to help Betsy.

"You need to know that I'm fine... I really am."

Pete nods, and smiles. "You are," he agrees.

"I know that we need time... But you need to know, that I don't need to be Betsy's savior. I just need her to be saved, to be cared for by someone who knows her, knows her story, knew her father. I know you don't want to adopt her, and if someone else steps up, I don't need to, either. I believe we could be good for her. I belive we have the resources to be the sort of parents she needs. I believe she could be a part of our family. If someone else steps up, then I can let go, but I'm not so sure I can if no one does. What if it was Lucas, Pete? What if he all of a sudden became alone in the world, and no one stepped up?"

Pete moves over to the couch and wraps his arms around her, an embrace she welcomes, an embrace she leans into.

"I miss Dell," Violet sobs. "I watched him that night, with Betsy. The only thing he cared about was her, that she would be okay, that she would be cared for. She won't be if she ends up in the system..."

Pete sighs. "If she truly has no one else... then we'll take her."

"We'll ask everyone," Violet promises. "We'll plead."


	3. What is going to happen to me?

AN: Although my muse is running in high gear at the moment, the time fairy has not arranged for another day of writing until sometime next week, but chapter four has been shipped off to the beta, so you can expect another installment in relatively short time. Thank you, Mediatorsk, for betaing!

AN2: I live for reviews, so whether you loved it or hated it, I want to know!

* * *

There's a pitter patter of tiny feet coming from the corridor, then Violet feels something gently poking her shoulder. "Mh?" she groans.

"Lucas is awake," Betsy whispers. "Can I take him with me to watch cartoons, now?"

"Just a minute, sweetie," Violet tiredly murmurs. "I'll come and help you."

"Where you going?" Pete groans, as he feels her attempt to slip out of his embrace.

Violet smiles and gives him a small peck. "I promised Betsy that if she came and got me first, she could watch cartoons with Lucas."

Rolling out of bed and onto her feet, Violet stretches both arms over her head before crossing the hallway into Lucas' room. Betsy is already standing by Lucas's crib. Violet takes a moment to observe the girl as she reaches into the crib and gently strokes the boy's cheek. The child probably feeling as though she's being watched, turns around. "See?" she says, "He's awake."

"You didn't wake him, did you?" Violet asks, to which the child vigorously shakes her head. "Good, just checking."

She walks over to the crib to see the smiling face of her son staring back at her. "Morning, Booboo," she whispers. "You wanna watch cartoons with Betsy?"

Picking Lucas up and supporting him with her right arm, she takes Betsy's hand with her left and take both children downstairs to the livingroom. Betsy runs over and turns on the television, before taking a seat on the couch, next to where Violet puts Lucas. The boy already engrossed in the cartoons flaring up on the screen in front of him, Violet acknowledges that this could quickly become a bad habit for both children.

Deciding she might as well make Lucas a bottle, she turns her head to Betsy, "You hungry, sweetie?"

* * *

Violet calls a meeting at noon.

"I think everyone knows why we're here," she states. "I think most of us, at least, can testify that Dell was so much more than just a co-worker. He was family, and now his little girl needs us. Needs for one of us to step up and take her in on a more permanent basis. I realize this is not a decision to be taken lightly, that no one ever really wants to take on the hard work that is raising a child, let alone a child who's been through as much as Betsy has, which we all know is bound to leave some sort of mark on her. But we need to see past our own needs and think about what is best for Betsy. She needs a home, and it's up to us to give it to her."

The room is quiet at first, but eventually Sam speaks up, "I'm not sure I agree that we're what's best for Betsy. How many people in this room can say they know Betsy beyond seeing her around the office? Hell, if we're honest with ourselves, not everyone here was even that close to Dell."

"That's a cop-out, Sam," Violet remarks, "Dell _died_ because he was so worried about Maya, he didn't even bother to get himself checked out. Out of everyone here, you should acknowledge the kind of debt we have towards him."

"What I am trying to get across is that all of us are virtually strangers to her, so no, I don't necessarily think that one of us is what's best for a child like Betsy."

"The Department of Children and Families have both the experience and the resources to handle a situation like this," Sheldon adds.

"We're not talking about some hypothetical situation," Violet argues, "She's Dell's daughter. We watched her as she lost both her parents."

She turns to Sheldon. "And I don't know whether you truly believe the picture you're painting, or if you just want to believe. Deep down you must know, as well as I do, that kids Betsy's age rarely find a happy ending. Most couples are looking to fulfill the fantasy of baby makes three. The older the kids get, the less of a chance they have at getting a proper family."

Violet takes in the quiet, pondering expressions on the people around her. "If none of us step up, the people who know Betsy the best, know what she's dealing with. If we can't take her in, how can we expect a couple of strangers to do so in our place? We need to stop hiding behind the guise of what the system _should_ be and start acknowledging what it really is. If we send Betsy away, we will be condemning her to a life of uncertainty, a life where she will bounce back and forth between foster care and group homes, a life where she won't know where she'll be the following year. Anyone here is capable of offering a better future for this child than that. We're doctors, we're financially stable, we have not one, but two shrinks within the building to help with any problems that might emerge."

She pauses and looks around the room, hoping her words have touched something within at least one of them. A chill runs down her back as she reads a lot of hesitation. "What if it had been Maya?" she asks Sam, who doesn't meet her eyes, "or Olivia?"

"Or _Lucas_?" Violet turns her gaze to Addison, who in turn averts her eyes to look at Sam. "Am I supposed to believe you would be speaking as warmly about the foster care system, had this been either of them...? What makes Betsy so less deserving?"

The lack of response is almost enough to make her cry. Not just almost. If she remains in the room for much longer, Violet will probably burst into tears over the apathy that seems to rule them all. She really believed they were better than that.

After waiting what, for her, seems like eternity, Violet swallows hard and says, "I guess that settles it, then. Pete and I wil take her, but don't think for one moment that you shouldn't be ashamed of yourselves, each and every one of you." She quickly gets up from her seat and storms out of the room. Right now, she just can't get herself to look at any of them.

She knows she should probably go and check on Betsy, but she needs a moment to gather herself, to calm down, so she dashes into her office, slamming the door behind her. It doesn't take longer than a minute before she hears the door open and then close. Turning around, she sees Pete watching her with an unreadable expression on his face. Tears already sliding down her face, she shakes her head, "Please don't tell me you're backing out. You saw what happened in there. There's no way anyone of them would have agreed to take her."

Pete responds by closing the space between them and wrapping his arms around her. The gesture causes an erruption of emotions, leaving Violet unable to do anything but sob into his chest for the next ten minutes. It's not just the disappointment in her friends, it's every single emotion that has managed to sneak upon her these past couple of days of looking after Betsy.

Eventually Violet manages to catch her breath, and she looks up at her husband. She needs to know her words touched something in him, that he doesn't just feel backed into a corner.

"You're right," he finally says. "We can't be selfish. If it was Lucas, we'd want someone to put him first."

The relief she feels is overwhelming.

* * *

It's not until about an hour later that Violet goes to check on Betsy. Amelia, who've once again graciously allowed Betsy to use her office as her headquarters, is currently spinning the girl around in her chair, much to Betsy's amusement. Violet realizes she can't exactly be angry with Amelia for not speaking up. Compared to the other doctors in this practice, Amelia is practically a kid, herself. Not to mention she doesn't have the same kind of past with Dell as everyone else does. Amelia is the fun babysitter, not the parental figure.

When Amelia notices Violet in the doorway, she makes a quick exit under the guise of going for lunch. Betsy looks up at Violet and as she takes in Violet's bloodshot eyes, the girl visibly tenses up. "What's wrong?" she asks, timidly.

It doesn't take a shrink to realize Betsy has probably seen and heard more from that meeting than anyone, especially Violet, would have liked her to. Violet drops to her knees in front of Betsy's chair.

"What is going to happen to me?" The fear in the child's voice is almost enough to make Violet cry, again.

"Well," Violet gives the child an encoraging smile. "Pete and I want you to know that you can stay with us for as long as you'd like. And if you really like living with us, maybe one day we can even adopt you. Do you know what adoption means?"

Betsy shakes her head, her posture a great deal more relaxed than just a minute ago.

"It means, that we would become your new mom and dad, and you would be Lucas' big sister. Do you think you'd like that?"

The girl frowns slightly. "What about my mommy and daddy?"

Violet sighs, and leans forward to stroke the girl's cheek. "Sweetie, they will always be your mommy and daddy. Nothing will ever change that. But they can't be here and take care of you, so Pete and I want to take care of you instead, the same way a mom and dad does. Is that something you think you'd be okay with?"

Betsy nods and wraps her arms around Violet's neck, holding her close.

* * *

It's Pete's night off from the ER and he lies on the couch, deep in thought. Violet comes back from tucking Betsy in and collapses into Pete's welcoming embrace.

"She's finally asleep," she informs him and sighs. "I guess now is when all the big decisions start. We should probably begin with looking into what school to enroll her in, unless we want her to fall even further behind on the curriculum than she already is. And we need a plan, for how we're gonna handle dropping her off and picking her up. I mean, do we pay the nanny to do it, or do we work it into our own schedules? And we need to take her shopping, get some more clothes and a couple of things to help make her room feel more like hers. And..."

"Violet..?"

"Yes..?"

"You're rambling," he murmurs, kissing the top of her head. "We'll get to all of that, just... not at nine o'clock in the evening..."


	4. You don't like being alone, do you?

AN: Like I've been saying, this week has kept me too busy to write, but I have Monday off, so I hope to get some writing done then. However, my beta just got back to me on this chapter, so here's something to tide you over while I get my writing on ;) Thank you, Mediatorsk, for betaing!

AN2: I live for reviews, so whether you loved it or hated it, I want to know!

* * *

Saturday starts out pretty much the same way the other days have, with the pitter patter of tiny feet and a whisper in her ear, telling her that Lucas is awake. Violet realizes she will have to have another talk with Betsy. Soon the girl will be going to school and there will be no time for morning cartoons except for weekends and holidays. Violet is also beginning to suspect that there might be something else going on with Betsy than a desire to share her tradition with her future brother.

Lucas seems a bit more groggy this time, and Violet's suspicion that Betsy might have intentionally woken him is growing. Instead of picking him up, she gives the boy his favorite plush animal and tucks him in. She kisses him gently on the forehead before turning on the baby monitor. Violet reaches for Betsy's hand and takes the child with her down into the livingroom. She can tell by Betsy's expression that she's worried and unlike the other mornings, Betsy doesn't immediately run over to turn on the television. Instead the girl politely sits down on the couch and waits for the lecture she knows is coming.

Violet realizes that this is going to be part of her everyday struggle from now on, weighing her compassion for Betsy against the need to look out for her family's best interest. "I know you woke Lucas up," she says, softly. "Is that what you did yesterday? And the day before?"

Betsy doesn't answer or meet Violet's gaze. "Honey, look at me," Violet demands, in a gentle, yet firm voice. Betsy complies. "Did you?"

The girl bites her lip and nods.

"You don't like being alone, do you?" Violet guesses. "New house, a lot of noises that you're not familiar with, everyone else is upstairs and you're down here, all alone. You're scared, aren't you?"

Betsy nods.

"When you lived with your mom, did you use to get scared?" The child shrugs, uncomfortably. Violet remembers what Dell used to say about Betsy's unstable upbringing, about Heather's questionable friends and neighbors.

"Sometimes?" Violet asks and the girl nods. "And when you got scared, what would you do?"

Betsy looks up at Violet, "I'd go into mommy's room, and she'd let me sleep in her bed..."

Violet is beginning to understand. Betsy has still not figured out how to relate to the new adults in her life. Seeking the company of her future brother feels less risky. He can't turn her away or abandon her, the way all the adults in her life have done at some point. Betsy is probably waiting for Violet and Pete to do the same thing, and Violet realizes the only thing she can do is give Betsy time to see that that is not going to happen. Right now, however, she needs to figure out a way to steer Betsy towards a less destructive outlet for her fear.

"Well, sweetie," she sighs, "Lucas is a baby, and babies, they need a lot of sleep. It's what keeps him healthy. You know how you feel when something wakes you in the middle of the night? You start feeling all ooky?" Betsy nods. "Well, that's how Lucas feels when we wake him."

The girl lowers her head in shame and Violet wants nothing more than to tell the girl it's alright. Of course, it's not alright. Violet can't allow Betsy to have a detrimental effect on Lucas. But she can tell her something else.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad," Violet promises. "You won't do it again, right?" Betsy nods. Violet pulls her into a comforting hug and feels the girl beginning to relax in her arms. As Betsy starts to let go, Violet looks down at the girl and asks, "You wanna watch some cartoons now?"

* * *

With Betsy settled with a bowl of cereal in front of the TV and Lucas sound asleep in his room, Violet slips back into bed just as Pete begins to wake up. Rolling over to face her, he reaches out and pulls her into a warm, loving embrace.

"Morning," he murmurs in that sexy gruff morning voice of his. "Lucas not up yet?"

"He's still sleeping," Violet confirms, then adds. "No thanks to Betsy..."

"What?" Pete frowns

Violet sighs. On one hand she doesn't want to help create more doubts in his mind about them taking Betsy in, but at the same time, Pete needs to know what is going on in their house. "It seems Betsy's been waking Lucas in the mornings, because she doesn't like to be alone. I think part of it is because her room is so far away from the rest of us. We should probably look into moving her upstairs, maybe convert the office into another bedroom. Give her a proper space to call her own and make her feel like she's a part of the family."

"You think that'll be enough?" Pete doesn't sound too sure, and Violet can't exactly blame him.

"I think what Betsy needs more than anything else is time. Everything in her life, right now, is new and a little bit scary. Giving her a proper room that is all hers is a good start. I think she'll feel a lot better knowing we're right down the hall from her."

"You know it's gonna take a lot more work than that," Pete points out.

Violet nods. "I know, she'll need a lot of time. She needs to get comfortable around us, eventually she'll probably start testing us, see if we really mean it when we say we're going to take care of her. We'll just have to handle whatever's coming the best we can."

* * *

With Betsy still needing a few more outfits and Lucas having grown out of some of his, the new family hit the stores. They stop by a furniture store for Betsy to pick out a couple of pieces of furniture for her new room. It's not a very big room, so they settle for just a bed, nightstand, dresser and desk for now. The olive color on the wall not really suitable for an eight year old girl's bedroom, they also stop by a paint store. Like most men, Pete is not very fond of the color pink, so he's more than grateful when Betsy picks medium purple instead. "It's the lesser evil," he tells Violet, who simply shakes her head and laughs. They pick out a rug and curtains to match, as well as bedsheets and a nightlight.

School supplies come next. They have made an appointment to go meet Betsy's new teacher on Monday to explain a bit about her circumstances. The idea is for Betsy to start the following week, giving Violet and Pete some time to help her catch up with her classmates before starting school for real. Betsy seems a bit nervous about starting another new school, but is soon caught up in the excitement of Hello!Kitty notebooks and Little Mermaid erasors.

As a final treat they visit a toy store, where they tell Betsy to pick out two stuffed animals and two toys of her choice. As Violet catches Betsy eyeing a rather large dollhouse, she stipulates that all four items have to be small and light enough for Betsy to carry without having to ask either adult for help. Pete nods approvingly at his wife. Some things are best set aside for birthdays and Christmas. In the end Betsy picks a jewelry-making kit, a boardgame, a stuffed dog and a bright pink unicorn. Violet also buys sketchbooks and large crayons for both kids to use.

* * *

Once Lucas has been put down for his afternoon nap, Betsy eagerly helps the two adults as they clear out the office and lay a tarp onto the floor. Like they did Lucas' room earlier in the summer, Violet and Pete plan to paint the room in the evening after both kids are asleep and let it dry throughout the night. With their newly bought furniture arriving the next day, Betsy only has to sleep in the guest bedroom one more night, which has the girl literally bouncing throughout the house. Violet shushes her a little, reminding her that Lucas is still sleeping upstairs, but all in all she's happy to see Betsy so excited.

Betsy plays with her new jewelry-making kit while the two adults start on dinner. When Lucas' cries are heard through the babymonitor, Violet leaves Pete to deal with dinner and heads upstairs. Lucas' face lights up when he sees his mother leaning over his crib. Having this quiet moment with her son without Betsy by her side, Violet begins to realize how this new situation is affecting the quality time she usually spends with Lucas. It's only in recent months that she's even been part of her child's life, and now that she finally has the role she's supposed to have, life has thrown her a curve ball. She's been so preoccupied with Betsy's situation and needs, that she's almost forgotten that Lucas has his own set of needs. In a way, it's a bit funny. Usually it's the older child who has to deal with their parents fawning over a younger sibling. But then again, the situation with Betsy is a bit special.

Knowing she will have to find a way to balance out the attention she gives each child, Violet takes her time changing Lucas. She kisses his little feet and tickles his stomach, earning herself a laugh from her baby boy. Like any other baby, he loves it when he gets to lie naked on the changing table. She blows air into his belly button and he practically shakes with laughter. "Mama," the boy says and Violet practically melts. He's been saying 'dada' since the middle of summer, but it's only recently that he's started to say 'mama'. Each time still feels special.

She's almost sad to leave the quiet moment behind her and take Lucas downstairs, but she's hungry and knows her boy is, too. And when she enters the kitchen, Betsy immediately runs towards her to show off the bracelet she just finished making. When she realizes it spells out V-I-O-L-E-T, she looks over at Pete, who simply shrugs nonchalantly and turns his attention back to the food. Violet thanks Betsy and immediately slips the bracelet onto her wrist, knowing already that she won't be removing it anytime soon.

After dinner the four of them spend some time on the floor, playing some of Lucas' favorite games. Pete constructs a tower from duplo bricks, which Lucas eagerly knocks over, laughing and clapping his hands in excitement as the tower hits the floor and breaks into several smaller pieces. They take turns building towers for Lucas to knock down, then after a while when Violet notices Betsy looking bored, she suggests for the two of them to try out the boardgame they bought earlier. Betsy eagerly runs off to get it and she and Violet set up at a table nearby. Violet can tell Pete appreciates getting some alone time with Lucas and she knows Betsy appreciates getting some one-on-one attention as well.

Eventually Pete takes Lucas upstairs to give him a bath. When Pete returns a while later with the babymonitor in his hand, even he gets talked into playing a round of CandyLand with Betsy.

* * *

They're both grateful the room they're about to paint isn't very big, and that they've agreed to keep the white lists and just covered them up with masking tape. They start in one corner and paint in opposite directions. Violet takes the wall by the door and Pete the wall facing the bathroom. Although Pete's wall is bigger, he's already on the wall with the two large windows before Violet finishes hers. As they work, they talk about the day. Violet commends Pete for playing with Betsy and grills him about what went down in the kitchen while she was away. Pete insists the bracelet was completely Betsy's idea, that he simply assisted with the spelling. "She's really taken to you," he points out. "You're really good with her." It's his way of saying he thinks they did the right thing, after all.

As they are closing in on finishing the last wall, the conversation moves to Lucas. "You know, Lucas said 'mama' again, today?" Violet says. "He doesn't do that very often."

Pete turns to look at her, seeing where her thoughts might be leading. "He just learned to say it, give him time, soon he'll be saying it so much you'll get tired of it."

"Oh, really, so you're tired of hearing him call you 'dada'?" Upon seeing Pete's grin, she playfully nudges him. "Thought so."

"Hey," he exclaims and shows her a paint stain on his left sleeve, from where his hand just hit the wall. When Violet simply starts to laugh, Pete gets a sudden playful expression on his face as he dips a new brush into the tray in front of him.

Violet begins to slowly back towards the door. "Oh, no. Don't you dare..." With a swift movement the brush touches her face, leaving her with a purple nose. This time Pete's the one laughing.

"If that's how you wanna play..." Violet manages to snatch the brush out of Pete's hand and gives him a bright purple beard with a matching mustache. "Who's laughing now?" she teases.

There's a staredown between the two, each of them waiting for the other to make a move. Minutes of complete silence pass before Pete finally closes the space between them and kisses her, hard. Violet drops the paintbrush to the floor and wraps her arms around his neck. It's only been a few days, but with everything that's been going on, it feels like weeks. Pete presses her against the door, the only paint-free surface left in the room and trails kisses down her neck.

Christening the room of the orphaned girl they're taking in seems wrong on so many levels, but Violet can't seem to care. It's not like they didn't do the exact same thing when putting together the nursery over the summer, more than once. Together, they sink to the floor, and soon the last thing either one of them cares about are the paint stains.


	5. Do you think she's ready

AN: This is the final chapter to this particular story. I feel it concludes what I set out to do; giving Betsy a home. I am considering writing a sequel, but we'll see how it goes. Thank you, Mediatorsk, for betaing!

AN2: I live for reviews, so whether you loved it or hated it, I want to know!

* * *

Violet inwardly curses her bladder as she swings her legs over the edge of the bed, the alarmclock on her nightstand not even reading six. Not really ready to wake up yet, she keeps her eyes almost closed as she stumbles towards the bathroom. With their painting adventure taking a little detour, both adults wound up needing a shower before bed to scrub paint off various parts of their bodies. Not that there were any regrets, it just made for a very late night for the both of them. So, Violet definitely isn't ready to get up yet.

She stubbornly keeps her eyes closed until she's facing the bathroom mirror while washing her hands. Her skin too red and irritated the night before, there had been no way to see if they had been successful in getting all the paint, so Violet reluctantly opens her eyes to check. The only source of light being the small window to her right, it's impossible to know for sure, but when she can't spot any immediate discoloration anywhere, Violet concludes that there's nothing too bad to worry about.

She tries to close her eyes again, but realizes there's no real point in fumbling her way back to the bedroom, when her eyes have already adjusted to the dim morning light peaking in through the windows. And being on her feet, already, she might as well stop by the nursery to check on her son. Violet can't say she's surprised to find Betsy sitting on the floor of the room, playing with some of Lucas' stuffed animals, as well as her own. Feeling the presence of another person in the room, the girl looks up.

"I didn't wake him," she quckly says, "Honest."

Violet nods. "I know."

She can tell by Lucas' sleeping form that Betsy is telling the truth. Although she's longing to crawl back under the covers, the mother in her can't very well leave the girl by herself, not when she knows the real reason Betsy is sitting next to Lucas' crib, so she reaches out her hand. "Why don't we leave him to it and go watch some cartoons?"

Like the day before, Violet fixes Betsy a bowl of cereal, but instead of climbing the stairs and going back to her bedroom, she takes a seat next to Betsy. At first she listens as the eight year old eagerly babbles on about the cartoons they are watching, but little by little she feels herself drifting off.

* * *

When Pete gently nudges her awake, the room has a bright glow from the morning sun. Violet motions to get up, but Pete quickly stops her. When she looks down, she realizes why. Betsy is lying asleep with her head in Violet's lap. "You hungry?" Pete asks, as he gently lifts Betsy's sleeping form, allowing Violet to get off the couch without waking the girl.

"Starving," Violet admits, as she hands him a pillow to put underneath Betsy's head.

Pete covers the girl up with a blanket, while Violet takes the empty cereal bowl with her into the kitchen. Lucas is already sitting in his high chair, drinking juice from a sippy cup. Violet gently kisses the top of his head, before taking a seat at the table. There's already a plate set for her with toast, bacon and eggs, and a fresh cup of coffee, all of it thankfully out of Lucas' reach. Ever since they got back together over the Summer, Pete has insisted on cooking Sunday breakfast for his family. Normally Violet likes to watch, but today her stomach is grateful that he waited to wake her.

Pete comes in a minute later and finishes mixing together some cereal for Lucas. He feeds their son while Violet eats her breakfast, then when she's done she takes over so that Pete can eat his.

When Betsy comes stumbling in a little while later, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, Pete is the first to see her. "Morning, sleepyhead," he gently teases, "If you're hungry, there's bacon and eggs. Would you like some?" The girl nods and Pete motions for her to take a seat.

* * *

The new furniture due to arrive already before noon, they lazily place both kids in front of the television to keep them occupied while they take turns showering. Violet takes care of the dishes while Pete is in the bathroom, and when it's her turn, Pete clears Betsy's room of painting equipment and pulls off the masking tape. He takes a step back, just as Violet comes out of the bathroom, and takes in their handiwork. Standing on the tips of her toes, Violet wraps her arms around his torso and rests her chin on his shoulder. "We did a good job," she says, approvingly. Pete nods in agreement.

Violet takes Betsy upstairs to get dressed while Pete puts Lucas down for his mid-morning nap. The door bell rings no more than fifteen minutes later, and the couple is quickly consumed by the task of directing the furniture guys on where to put everything. They butt heads a couple of times, as some of their pre-agreed-upon plans end up not working out as well as they thought due to the placement of the room's few electrical outlets. However, eventually, much to the workers relief, they come to an agreement that is both livable and practical. Pete tips them all generously for their inconvenience.

Seeing her new bedroom taking shape, Betsy eagerly makes several trips to the guestroom to get her things. Violet lets the girl decide where she wants to put everything, but makes a couple of helpful suggestions whenever Betsy seems unsure. Pete lays down the rug and hangs the curtains before Lucas' cries calls him away. Violet helps put on the new bedsheets, then lets the girl make her own bed. Taking a step back, she takes in the end result.

It's a start, she decides. The walls could use a couple of pictures. Violet makes a note to herself to go through her camera and see if she ever took any pictures of Dell and Betsy together. She will have to check with the others, see if any of them have any pictures that could help Betsy keep her father's memory alive.

* * *

Her mind plagued with thoughts of Dell and ways to help Betsy remember him, Violet takes Pete aside after lunch and suggests a trip to the cemetary. "It's been a week and in all that time, we haven't as much as talked about it," she argues before Pete has the chance to say anything. "She didn't get to come to the funeral, I'm not sure she even knows he has a grave that she can visit."

"You think it's a good idea to do that today?" Pete asks. "She's so ecstatic about her new room, don't you think being reminded of her dad will just make her sad?"

Violet understands his concern, but at the same time, "You think it'd be better if we waited until she has had a bad day?"

Pete sighs and gives a small nod in concession. He sees her point.

"This whole week, everything we've done has been about making a new life for her. But there are things going on inside of Betsy, things she isn't talking to either one of us about. I don't want to pressure her into opening up, but I think the pain that we both want to spare her from is already there and she's too afraid to let herself feel it around us. I think the excitement we're seeing is Betsy covering up that she's hurting, because every adult person in her life up until now has abandoned her in one way or another. Both her parents died, her aunt walked out on her, she probably believes we will, too... and we almost did, we almost gave her away..." Violet sighs and shakes her head. She doesn't want to go into what could have been. "I don't think seeing Dell's grave will cause her pain, I think it will just make her pain more visible, more concrete."

"But, do you think she's ready?" Pete asks.

Violet gives a sad smile, "No child is ever ready to face the grave of a loved one, least of all a parent. But putting it off won't help her. The sooner she has a place to direct all of the confusing feelings inside of her, the sooner we can help her work through those feelings."

* * *

Betsy doesn't say much as she stands in front of the headstones engraved with her parents' names. It's pretty much as Violet expected. The girl didn't display much of a reaction when the outing was suggested, and Violet can't say she expected her to suddenly break down and open up the minute she saw her parents' graves, either. Nonetheless, as Violet pointed out to Pete, it's an important step in Betsy's healing process that she faces what happened and allows herself to feel it.

The girl stares at her father's headstone for a long time without saying anything. Then she bends down and places a small bouquet of flowers that Violet helped her pick on top of the plaque. Straightening up, she turns, looks at the the two adults and asks, "Can we go, now?"

To give the outing a bit more of a positive aspect, they take the kids to a nearby park. Betsy immediately sets off towards the swing set. The two adults follow suit, Violet carrying Lucas. She places him in the baby swing to the far right and gives the boy a gentle push. The boy's laughter as the swing goes higher and higher, albeit not nearly as high as Betsy's, is music to her ears. She turns and looks at Pete, who has taken a seat at a nearby bench. They share a brief smile before Violet continues to push Lucas' swing.

They stop by an ice cream parlor on the way home, getting a cone for Betsy, and cups for both adults. Lucas is still a bit too young for his own ice cream, but Violet feeds him a couple of spoonfulls of her plain vanilla.

* * *

Betsy is still up when Cooper comes by in the evening for his scheduled best friend time with Violet. The girl literally drags the pediatrician up the stairs to show him her new bedroom. It doesn't take long before the eight year old has talked both Cooper and Violet into playing CandyLand with her. They play for two rounds, both of which Betsy wins, before Violet announces that it's time for bed. Cooper waits downstairs with Pete, while Violet takes Betsy through her bedtime routine and tucks her in.

"She seems to be adjusting well," Cooper comments, when Violet comes back downstairs.

"It's an act," Violet replies. Then as she takes in Cooper's confused face, she adds, "I mean, I believe that she's happy she's going to be staying here, but she's very polarized when it comes to displaying her emotions. Either she's extatic and loud, or she's simply quiet and introvert. We took her to see Dell's grave today, and nothing."

"Oh, wow," Cooper winces, "That can't be good."

"It sounds a lot worse than it is," she acknowledges. "Basically it means she's holding back, most probably because she doesn't trust her surroundings just yet. Everything's new to her, and people a lot closer to her than us have let her down in the past."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Give her time," Violet shrugs, "Let her know that it's okay to feel bad, to be sad, and to show it. That we're not going anywhere."

* * *

Cooper doesn't stay as long as he usually does. He claims it's because he promised Charlotte, but Violet suspects he's really doing it to give her and Pete some much needed time alone. She happily snuggles up to her husband, who in turn wraps his arms around her. It becomes one of those rare quiet moments where they just don't talk about anything. The TV is still on, but neither of them are paying any attention to it. It's just background noise.

When Violet almost dozes off, Pete announces that it's probably time for bed, and they reluctantly leave the comfort of the couch to head upstairs. Side by side they brush their teeth and change into their night attires. Pete heads directly to bed, while Violet makes one last round to check on the kids. Lucas is sound asleep in his crib, his right thumb in his mouth, the other arm clutching his favorite plush animal. Violet bends down and softly kisses the top of his head.

At first glance through the open crack, everything seems alright in Betsy's room as well. The girl is lying on her side, facing the wall, seemingly sound asleep. Then as Violet turns to head back to the bedroom, she hears what could only be a soft sob coming from the young girl. She pushes the door open and enters the room. As she takes a seat on the edge of Betsy's bed, the sobbing stops, but when Violet reaches out and strokes the girl's damp cheek, the girl turns around and allows Violet to see her tearstricken face. Violet notices the large wet patch on Betsy's pillow, and realizes the girl has been crying for good while now.

She continues to stroke Betsy's cheek. "It's okay," Violet soothes the child. "Do you want to tell me what is making you so sad?"

"I miss my dad," Betsy sobs.

The girl climbs out of bed and into Violet's lap, immediately throwing her little arms around the adult. Violet responds by in turn wrapping her arms around Betsy's petite form, stroking the child's back as she continues to sob into her chest. "It's okay," Violet whispers, "It's okay to miss him, it's okay to be sad. It's okay to be angry. It's okay not to feel good all the time."

The heavy stream of emotions takes a lot out of the girl and she slowly turns limp in Violet's arms. She hasn't fallen asleep yet, but she's slowly getting there. Not having the heart to leave her to go back to her own bed, Violet lays down in Betsy's bed with the girl, holding her close as the child falls asleep.

The child's even breaths have a lulling effect on her, and Violet drifts off mere minutes later.


End file.
